NFL Notebook, June 21: Joe Webb Opening Eyes in Minnesota

Here's what's happening around the National Football League on Monday, June 21, 2010:

• The Vikings' starting quarterback job in 2010 belongs to either Brett Favre or Tarvaris Jackson, no question asked at this point -- it's Favre's if he opts to play one more year; it's Jackson's if he doesn't.

But what about beyond that? Despite his constant veil of mystery, Favre's very unlikely to suit up in 2011. Jackson, meanwhile, is only signed through 2010, and Sage Rosenfels, Minnesota's third-stringer last year, appears on his way out. All those factors are part of what makes Vikings rookie Joe Webb so intriguing.

Minnesota drafted the athletic Webb in the sixth round with the intention of playing him at wide receiver. But Webb, who was a four-year quarterback at UAB, has shifted back under center during offseason workouts, and Star Tribune columnist Sid Hartman says he's been so impressive that he "could be the quarterback of the future" in Minnesota.

"If you look at Joe Webb, he was a very good quarterback at the University of Alabama-Birmingham," Rick Spielman, the team's vice president of player personnel told Hartman. "He actually threw for over 2,000 yards and rushed for over 1,500 yards. But he is such a unique athlete that everybody was looking at him as a receiver, and possibly looking at him as a Josh Cribbs-type, who plays up in Cleveland, who actually was a quarterback."

Webb's versatility could land him a spot on the Vikings' active roster for 2010, even if he's third or fourth on the QB depth chart.

• The Jets are counting on LaDainian Tomlinson to fill the void left at running back by 1,400-yard rusher Thomas Jones, now with the Chiefs, and to complement burgeoning star Shonn Greene.

So far, though, Tomlinson's failed to show much at the Jets' offseason workouts. ESPN New York's Rich Cimini wrote that there "was nothing [Tomlinson] did in OTAs or minicamp ... that made you say, 'Wow, he's back.'"

The New York Post's Bart Hubbach shared that sentiment in a piece called "Face facts, Jets, LaDainian is pretty much LaDone." In it, Hubbach quoted an NFL general manager, who said, "If you watch the films from the end of last year, the guy had nothing left. It's not a knock on him personally. All those carries are going to catch up to anyone."

Considering that the Jets also have concerns about Greene's ability to carry the load as a No. 1 back all season, they have to hope that Tomlinson cranks it up as September approaches.

Transaction Wire

• New Orleans released DE Bobby McCray in an unexpected move. McCray, 28, played all 16 games for the Saints last season and started throughout the playoffs.

• Tampa Bay claimed safety Matt O'Hanlon off waivers from Carolina. O'Hanlon, an undrafted free agent out of Nebraska, is likely a long shot to make the Bucs roster.

• The Ravens signed fifth-round pick Arthur Jones, a defensive lineman from Syracuse, to a four-year contract.

Injury Ward

• New Jaguars tight end Zach Miller has still yet to practice with the team this offseason. Instead, he spent all of Jacksonville's OTAs thus far riding a stationary bike in an effort to rehab a foot injury, according to Jaguars.com's Vic Ketchman.

Tweet Up

• Titans rookie and Rhodes Scholar Myron Rolle (@MyronRolle): "Football tip: 'Don't be so cool, you freeze yourself out'..aka don't disguise coverage so much you can't do your job at snap of ball."